Closing the Achievement Gap:What it Takes to Leave No Child Behind

Pedro A. Noguera, Ph.D.

Graduate School of Education

New York University

Technical vs. Adaptive work

Technical work - A focus on managing the operations of the system, insuring that procedures are working and that employees are in compliance with policy.

Adaptive work - A focus on the dynamic and complex nature of the work, its substance, meaning and purpose. Work guided by a long term vision, with medium and short term goals. An awareness that we are trying to achieve our goals in a constantly changing environment Ron Hiefitz - Leadership on the Line

I. What we know about the achievement gap It mirrors other disparities (health, income,employment) Tends to follow consistent patterns with respect to the

race and class of students External conditions affect academic performance (e.g.

health, housing stability, poverty) Poor students generally attend inferior schools or to be

assigned to less qualified teachers Academic patterns have often been in place for a long

time and tend to be accepted as normal

Achievement Gap

Manifest on most indicators of achievement (grades, test scores, graduation rates, discipline patterns), key areas: Discipline Special education English as a second language

Dimensions of the Gap

Preparation Gap

Opportunity Gap

Relationship Gap

Parent-School Gap

Performance Gap

What we know about student achievement All students learn but not at the same pace Students who are behind must work harder, longer and under better

conditions re-think Title I remediation programs

Students who are behind must be taught by competent teachers who care about them

Schools must adopt coherent and deliberate educational plans to meet student learning needs

Cultural Competence - Staff must understand how to work with students and parents from cultures different than their own

Closing the achievement gap requires increased access to rigorous courses and increased academic support for students who are behind

What we know about effective schools They have a coherent strategy for delivering high quality instruction

Teachers adhere to a common set of strategies In some cases, teachers follow a common curriculum

They have systems to monitor academic performance They use data to make decisions about school improvement

They engage in constant assessment Diagnostic assessment

They have shared and distributed leadership They create school cultures that affirm the importance of education

and place student needs at the center of practice They engage parents as partners in systems of mutual accountability

for teachers, students and parents

Analyzing your school

Which of the characteristics of an effective school is your school missing?

What do you need to do to acquire these characteristics at your school?What are the most significant obstacles?

What we know about students

Many are bored and alienated in school Much of what children know and how children learn is never

recognized in school Performance gap Achievement may not reflect ability

The desire to learn must be cultivated Less motivated students need support, encouragement and

regular feedback High achievers must be pushed to think critically and creatively Cultural relevance - Students must see how what they learn

can help them to improve their lives Many schools are characterized by an anti-intellectual student

culture

Key Questions about students

Is it “cool” to be smart at your school? Are motivated students and high achievers role models for others?

How do students learn the “codes of power”? Verbal and written communication in standard English Appropriate dress and attire

What avenues have you created to engage students: In leadership? Activities that interest them? With opportunities for input about your school?

II. What is the role of educational leaders in school improvement efforts?

Provide the vision: keep the big picture clear: Why are we doing this? What will we achieve?

Make it possible for staff to have time to meet and plan - develop “buy-in”

Keep things moving, but try not to impose decisions upon people Work with staff and parents to develop a clear

mission and clear priorities Provide support in areas where help is needed

Role of leaders continued

Help staff to understand Board and State policy Make the best of directives even if you disagree

with them

Create conditions that enable others to be successful Stay focused on morale and maintenance of high

standards Keep systems working - maintenance, operations,

etc.

Characteristics of Effective Educational Leaders Function more like coaches than generals Lead by example Share leadership, do not make themselves indispensable

- Your work is secondary to the most important activity in the school: teaching

Know their students and staff well Know parents and the community well Find balance between flexibility and decisiveness:

willingness to collaborate and willingness to make tough decisions

Skills Needed by Principals

Instructional leadership Knowledge of finance and budget management Public relations Human Resources Strategic Planning Data management/analysis Knowledge of social welfare service delivery

Three Adaptive challenges:

How are you responding to the needs of students who have traditionally under-achieved? What are you doing to insure quality in your use of Title I

finds and remediation services? What are you doing to engage their parents?

What is the district doing to address the needs of immigrant students? How effective are these strategies?

What are you doing to work within the constraints created by NCLB to insure accountability without denying enhanced learning opportunities for students or limiting the ability of schools to meet

the needs of the “whole child”?

Strategies for Raising Student Achievement:

Systems to facilitate school effectiveness Diagnostic assessment to gauge

learning needs of studentsTargeted remediationTargeted academic supportEarly intervention proceduresEvaluation to insure quality

control On-site, ongoing professional

developmentStrategic partnerships with

community

Normative adaptations:Reciprocity - Supportive

relationships between teachers and studentsCollaboration - Willingness

among teachers to share ideas, curricula, materials Deliberations - Opportunity for

staff to meet and to discuss goals and workStudent engagement-

strategies for addressing peer cultureSocial Closure - Partnership

between school and parents

III. Instructional Leadership: What We Know About Good Teaching

It’s not learned in school, it develops over time through experience

Experienced veterans can burn out and become less effective

It’s a combination of skill and art - it’s idiosyncratic

Evidence of good teaching must be based upon evidence of learning

Group Discussion:

What are you doing to improve the quality of teaching in your school?

Do you know who your effective teachers are? How are you utilizing them to help others?

What are you doing to engage teachers in your school improvement efforts?

Improving Teaching and Learning

Good teaching matters - low achievers tend to be assigned to less effective teachers

Many teachers expect students to adjust to the way they teach, rather than adjusting their teaching to the way students learn

Teaching and learning tends to be seen as two disconnected activities Teachers must take responsibility for student learning and

achievement Most of what teachers learn is learned on the job, not in

graduate school Find ways to reduce teacher isolation

Improving Instruction: Building strong links between teaching and learning

Reflective teaching On-site and continuous professional development

Make use of skilled teachers Use staff meetings to discuss teaching and

student needs

Aligning instruction to standards and assessments Effective use of homework

Professional Development Activity: Learning from student work

Start with the standards: What should our students know and be able to do?

Examine the assessments together Examine student work together: What patterns do

you observe? Discuss strategies for improving quality of student

work: What are the implications for teaching? How will we get our students to meet the standards?

Ongoing Professional Development Needed in:

Content Knowledge - Teaching is intellectual work

Pedagogical skill - We must teach the way students learn rather than expecting them to learn the way we teach

Relationship Building - students learn through relationships

Helping students to succeed: Demystify school success Teach study skills Show students what excellent work looks like

and how to produce it Provide intensive counseling for students and

parents Discuss future plans early and expose

students to options

Assignment for Next Meeting:

Come with a detailed description of the greatest adaptive challenge at your school

Identify and collect the data you need to measure and monitor this challenge (e.g test scores, grades, etc.)

History - What has been done to address this problem in the past? Why does the problem persists?